Worlds of Ice invites us on a journey to the farthest reaches of the solar system, travelling through the many dimensions of ice—from the territories of the Arctic to a scientific complex nestled under the South Pole. We experience it all immersed in a kaleidoscopic igloo from which we emerge utterly dazzled by the chronicles of an icy wonderland, to which Beatrice Deer, a popular figure of Inuit culture, has lent her unique voice.
Offering 35 minutes of pure delight, this one-of-a-kind experience explores the two-way relationship between humans and ice, a protean substance whose astonishing dynamics universally affect biology, astronomy, ocean sciences, anthropology, culture and artistic expression..
But< i>Worlds of Ice also rattles us, revealing how our disastrous human actions are responsible for the melting polar ice caps, and how close we are to the tipping point of dramatic climate change. A sobering reality indeed.
Designed, Written and Directed by Philippe Baylaucq. A National Film Board of Canada production in collaboration with The Rio Tinto Alcan Planétarium/Montréal Space for Life/p>
Award-winning filmmaker Philippe Baylaucq orchestrated Worlds of Ice with the desire, above all, to put ice at the forefront of our environmental reality. The unsuspected dimensions of ice are brought to life, just like the life ice itself nurtures, through the lens of the 360° camera, the most advanced technologies in digital imaging and a timely reference to the James Webb Space Telescope.
No ambiguity lingers, as we approach the dramatic tipping point brought on by our disastrous human actions. The melting of polar ice caps threatens the very balance our planet relies on.
Worlds of Ice carries deep wisdom, in turn echoed with alarming clarity by Inuit who for generations have weaved an intricate relationship with ice, and are now first-hand witnesses working to mitigate the effects of this dramatic shift.
In the immersive environment only a planetarium can provide, Worlds of Ice is a spectacular statement about life, where ice mirrors its impermanence on Earth as much as its vulnerable presence in the Universe.
Trained at Hornsey College and Saint Martin’s School of Art, London, Philippe Baylaucq has been making films for nearly 40 years. The hallmarks of his work are constant formal experimentation and a keen interest in technological innovation. Winning multiple awards around the world, his films reveal a clear fascination with an array of art forms. They encompass a wide range of themes and genres, from interactive storytelling, documentary and fiction to gallery/museum installations, work for television and art films. Since 2014, he has turned his versatile approach to the production of immersive experiences. Following Tempo, Aurōrae and Kyma, his fourth fulldome production entitled Worlds of Ice, aims to make the subject of ice more widely accessible by combining scientific investigation and artful storytelling. In parallel with his creative work, since 1994 Baylaucq has contributed to the advancement of the filmmaking profession, serving as chair of various boards in the Montreal arts, film and cultural organizations.
Her sixth studio album, SHIFTING, explores the process of getting closer to the place where we’re meant to be in life. “Emotionally, spiritually, and physically, the transition towards our authentic selves continues,” she says.
René Chénier has credits on more than 150 productions, ranging from short films to features, drama, animation and multimedia. His filmography includes Benoît Pilon’s The Necessities of Life (2008), which won the Best Film Jutra and was short-listed for Best Foreign Language Film at the Oscars; and Hugo and the Dragon (2001), directed by Philippe Baylaucq, which took home Best Canadian Film at the Banff Festival. As Executive Producer for the French Program Animation Studio and the NFB’s Institutional Program (2006–2021), he produced works that were innovative in terms of their format, content and technologies. Notable titles include the panoramic Glimpses (2010), directed by Jean-François Pouliot and shown on a semi-circular screen at the Canada Pavilion during the Shanghai world’s fair; Karine Lanoie-Brien’s Expo 67 Live (2017), which incorporated large-format restored archival footage, celebrating the 50th anniversary of Expo 67 Montreal; as well as KYMA, Power of Waves (2017) and Worlds of Ice (2022), a pair of projects directed by Philippe Baylaucq and designed for 360-degree dome projection. Works produced by René Chénier at the NFB have won many Canadian and international awards, including the Lumiere Award from the Los Angeles-based International 3D Society for Philippe Baylaucq’s ORA (2011), filmed entirely with an infrared camera, and for Denis Poulin and Martine Époque’s CODA (2014), which combines motion capture and particle-processing technologies.
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